********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* The Glass factory. *
* *
* *
** **
**** ****
********
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Several Centuries After It Had Last ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Belonged To Us, We Went On An Outing To ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ The Glass Factory That Bore Our Family ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ Name. It Had Changed Owners Many Times ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Since Our Ancestors Death, And Then ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Stood Abandoned For A Long While. ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Finally, The Natural End Station For ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ The Buildings That Survive: A Museum, ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ And A Gift Shop. ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ There'S A Long Time Since My Family ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Made Anything. By Many, We Would Be ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Considered Poor. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ There Are Two Main Factory Buildings, ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ Domed Things Of Several Floors, Made In ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Yellow Brick. Large But Narrow Windows, ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Reminescent Of Some Cathedral. ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Custom-Made Glass, Of Course, Large And ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ LeadEd, And Ashen. A Bit Too Dark To Be ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Practical. On The Eastern Building, ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Some Are Shattered. ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ The Other One Is Publicly Open. There'S ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ A Museum, With Wax Figures Of My Great ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Great Great Grandfather, Or Something. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Various Tools (Or Replicas) Laid Out On ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Tables, With Explaining Texts. A Lot Of ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Glass Of Varying Thickness. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ ** ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ I Quickly Sneak Out, And Climb Into The ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Other Building. The Contrast Is ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Overwhelming. It Must Have Stood ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ Derelict For A Long Time, Windows ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ Broken, Metallic Trash And Pools Of ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Dark Glass All Over The Floor. No ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Electric Lights, But I Can See By The ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Light That Shines In Wherever The Dark ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Windows Are Missing A Pane. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ However, The Greatest Difference Is The ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ Higher Floors: This Building Has None. ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ It Is One Massive Hall, Stretching Away ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Infinitely Above Me. Somewhere Up There ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Is Some Great Iron Latticework, From ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ Where Chains Are Suspended, And Parts ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Of Machinery Has Been Falling Down. ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ There Is, In The Middle Of The Great ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ Hall, A Thin Spiral Staircase That ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ Leads Up There. I Sneak Over There, And ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Take A Few Reluctant Steps. After Just ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A Revolution, I Notice That For Each ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Step The Building Starts To Glow, The ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Bricks Turning A Dark Red, And Then ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Orange, All The Piled Up Debree Being ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ Lit From Behind. ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ I Stop Ready To Run Down And Out, But ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ There'S Someone Else On The Staircase ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ With Me Now, Pressed Close. He'S ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ Looking Like Me, Short Hair And Thin ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Arms, But With Ears From Some Animal, ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ And More Disturbingly, Completely Made ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Of Dark Liquid glass. ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ My Fear Holds Me In Place While He ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ Starts Operating Levers And Dials Set ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ In The Center Of The Staircase. Slowly, ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ It Starts Spinning, Circling Upwards. ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ It'S An Elevator! I Start To Run ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ Downwards, But Now The Liquid Boy ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Creature Grabs Hold Of Me. I Try To ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Shake Him Off, But He'S Too Strong, And ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Pulls Me Back Up Beside Him. ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ This Time, I Turn Angry Instead. What ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Hell? Who Is This Guy, Acting Like ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ This? I Reach Out My Free Arm And Slam ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A Random Lever. Some Metal Bar Is ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Suddenly Released Between Us, Hitting ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Him On The Arm, Forcing My Release. I ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ Shove Him Off Of Me, And He Falls Into ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ The Levers, Messing Them Up. ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Immediately, A Thin Rusty Chainmail ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Curtain Is Dropped Around Me. But The ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Elevator Also Speeds Up Significantly. ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ The Walls Are Flaring Now, Yellow, ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ White, Almost Blue. I Close My Eyes And ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Curl Into A Ball. But Then, The Glass ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ Boy Screams, A Piercing Sound That ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ Forces My Eyes Back Open. I Watch As He ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Becomes Too Liquid, His Body Pooling ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Down In His Now Massive Tail, And The ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Tip Of It Suddenly Breaks Of In A Glass ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Drop That Falls Toward The Factory ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Floor. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ He'S Crawling On The Stairs, Unable To ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Keep His Body Upright. Can'T Reach The ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ Levers, Claws At My Chainmail Cage, ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ While His Body Is Turning Into Dark ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ Pearls. Finally, He'S Lost Too Much Of ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Himself And The Scream Is Cut Short. ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ The Last Of Him Rains Down. ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ I Still Can'T Reach The Levers From ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ Within My Cage. Looking Up, I Try To ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Make Out The Ceiling, But It'S All A ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Whirling Sea Of Colours. Below Me Glows ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ The Hellfire Of The Factory Walls, But ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Very Faint. I Sit Down, Curl Back Up, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Become Still. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ ** ** ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ ** ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ ¨¨.~=*%@@#
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ A Large Clunk Shakes My Entire Body, ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ And Snaps Me Back Into Reality. I'M ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ Back At The Factory Floor, But The ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ Stairs Are Still Moving Slightly, ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Clicking In Place, Carrying Me The Last ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Few Centimeters. I Came From Below, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ Somehow. The Chainmail Is Retracted, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.
~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ And I Slowly Dismount The Stairs. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~
=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=
*=~.¨¨¨¨¨¨ Shaking And Crying, I Make My Way Over ¨¨¨¨¨¨.~=*
%*=~.¨¨¨¨¨ The Factory Floor, Wading Through Dark ¨¨¨¨¨.~=*%
@%*=~.¨¨¨¨ Glass Marbles. A Quick Glance Down, And ¨¨¨¨.~=*%@
@@%*=~.¨¨¨ I See There'S Something Faint Inside ¨¨¨.~=*%@@
#@@%*=~.¨¨ Them. Embryos? Are These Eggs? ¨¨.~=*%@@#
##@@%*=~.¨ ¨.~=*%@@##
#@@%*=~.¨¨ I Shudder, And Climb Back Out. ¨¨.~=*%@@#
**
** **
* *
** **
**